Superhard constructions & methods of making same

Abstract

A method of forming a super hard polycrystalline construction is disclosed as comprising placing a pre-formed structure of a first material into a canister, introducing a plurality of grains or particles of super hard material into the canister to locate the grains or particles in and/or around the pre-formed structure to form a pre-sinter assembly and treating the pre-sinter assembly at an ultra-high pressure of around 5 GPa or greater and a temperature to sinter together the grains of super hard material in the presence of a binder material to form the super hard polycrystalline construction comprising a body of polycrystalline super hard material having a first region of super hard grains in a binder material, and an embedded second region.

1 . A method of forming a super hard polycrystalline construction comprising:
 placing a pre-formed structure of a first material into a canister;   introducing a plurality of grains or particles of super hard material into the canister to locate the grains or particles in and/or around the pre-formed structure to form a pre-sinter assembly; and   treating the pre-sinter assembly at an ultra-high pressure of around 5 GPa or greater and a temperature to sinter together the grains of super hard material in the presence of a binder material to form the super hard polycrystalline construction comprising a body of polycrystalline super hard material having a first region of super hard grains in a binder material, and an embedded second region.   
     
     
         2 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein the pre-formed structure has a plurality of apertures therein, the step of introducing the plurality of grains or particles comprises locating the grains or particles of super hard material in the voids in the pre-formed structure. 
     
     
         3 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein the step of placing the pre-formed structure into the canister is subsequent to the step of introducing the grains or particles of super hard material. 
     
     
         4 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein the step of placing the pre-formed structure into the canister comprises placing a structure comprising any one or more of a ceramic, a metal, a metal alloy, a hardmetal, or a polymer into the canister. 
     
     
         5 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein the step of placing the pre-formed structure into the canister comprises placing a structure comprising tungsten into the canister. 
     
     
         6 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein the step of introducing a plurality of grains or particles of super hard material into the canister comprises introducing a plurality of grains or particles of any one or more of diamond, or cBN material into the canister. 
     
     
         7 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein the step of introducing a plurality of grains or particles of super hard material into the canister comprises introducing a plurality of grains or particles of natural and/or synthetic origin. 
     
     
         8 . The method of  claim 1 , further comprising treating the sintered structure to remove at least a portion of the binder material and/or at least a portion of the second region from the structure. 
     
     
         9 . The method of  claim 8 , wherein the pre-formed structure comprises a core material coated with a coating material, the step of treating the sintered structure to remove at least a portion of the binder material and/or at least a portion of the second region from the structure comprising treating the structure to remove the coating from the second region leaving the core material embedded in the construction. 
     
     
         10 . The method of  claim 8 , wherein the pre-formed structure comprises a core material coated with a coating material, the step of treating the sintered structure to remove at least a portion of the binder material and/or at least a portion of the second region from the structure comprising treating the structure to remove the core material from the second region leaving the coating material embedded in the construction. 
     
     
         11 . The method of  claim 8 , further comprising after the step of removing at least a portion of the binder and/or second region the step of introducing an additional material into one or more voids in the construction created by the step of removing the at least a portion of the binder and/or second region.